Effect Of Text Message Reminders Research Articles

Effectiveness of text message reminders on paediatric appointment adherence: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Attending health appointments is important for the paediatric population, as it allows for earlier detection of health issues and subsequent necessary treatments. It also ensures timely immunisations while also allowing patients or their parents to raise health concerns. Hence, it is crucial to take steps to ensure that such medical appointments are attended.To evaluate the effectiveness of text message reminders (TMRs) in improving paediatric patients' adherence to their appointments.A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted. The search spanned across eight online databases from their inception dates to January 2024. The random-effects model was utilised to conduct the meta-analysis, where risk ratio was used as the effect measure. Subgroup analyses were conducted for age, number of TMRs sent, and type of appointments attended.In total, 13 studies were included. Compared to standard care (involving non-text message reminders or no reminders), TMRs were significantly more effective in improving appointment attendance among the paediatric population. Significant subgroup differences were found in the type of appointments attended, where TMRs were more effective for medical appointments compared to vaccination appointments. No differences in adherence to appointments were found across age groups or the number of TMRs sent. Conclusion: Sending TMRs can be a potentially cost-effective way to improve the attendance rate of paediatric medical appointments, given the ease of implementation and the extensive mobile phone usage globally. Future studies should compare TMRs to other modes of automated reminders such as telephone messages or emails, to identify the most optimal method of delivery. Trial registration: PROSPERO (CRD42023464893).

Enhancing COVID-19 booster vaccination among the elderly through text message reminders

ABSTRACT The BOOST (Booster promotion for older outpatients using SMS text reminders) program at Taipei Veterans General Hospital assessed the effectiveness of text message reminders in enhancing COVID-19 booster vaccination rates among the elderly, guided by the Health Belief Model (HBM). Targeting patients aged 65 and above, eligible yet unvaccinated for a COVID-19 booster, this cohort study sent personalized reminders a week prior to their scheduled appointments between April 18, 2022, and May 12, 2022, acting as cues to action to enhance vaccination uptake by overcoming perceived barriers and raising awareness of benefits. Over 5 weeks, the study observed a 38% increase in vaccination rate among 3,500 eligible patients, markedly surpassing the concurrent national rate increase of 4% for the same demographic. The majority of vaccinations occurred within two weeks after the reminder, illustrating the effectiveness of the strategy. Cox regression analysis identified age and time since last vaccination as significant predictors of responsiveness, with those aged 65–74 and 75–84 showing higher uptake, particularly when reminders were sent within 4 months after the last dose. A single reminder proved to be effective. The findings of this study demonstrate the potential of SMS reminders to promote COVID-19 vaccination among the elderly through the strategic use of HBM principles, suggesting a feasible and effective approach to public health communication.

The effect of text message reminders on compliance with Twin Block appliances: A randomised controlled trial.

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether text reminders influence patient compliance with Twin Block appliances. The null hypothesis was that there was no statistically significant differences in Twin Block compliance between those who receive text reminders and those that do not. Single-blind parallel randomised controlled clinical trial. Health Service Executive (HSE) orthodontic outpatient clinic in Dublin, Ireland. A total of 59 patients aged 11-15 years with a 5a Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN grade) starting treatment with Twin Block appliances. A computer-generated unstratified allocation sequence was used to randomise the participants into the control group (CG) or the text group (TG). Both groups were asked to wear their appliances full-time. In addition to the same verbal and written instruction received by the CG, the TG received text message reminders, every 3 days, to wear their appliances. The primary outcome measure was wear time reported by Theramon® sensors embedded in the appliances. Data on wear time were uploaded from the Theramon® sensors onto cloud software. Participants in both groups were asked to fill out wear diaries and submit these at each visit. Treating clinicians and the primary investigator were blinded to the allocation group. Participants were followed up for 4 months. Participants were not blinded to their treatment group. In total, 29 participants were allocated to the CG and 30 to the TG. The data for 53 participants were analysed, 24 from the CG and 29 from the TG. The median hours/day of wear recorded using the Theramon® sensors was 13.77 (interquartile range [IQR] = 10.19) for the CG and 17.72 (IQR = 5.62) for the TG. The difference in wear time recorded was not statistically significant (P = 0.16). The study concluded that text message reminders had no statistically significant influence on patient compliance with Twin Block appliances.

Text Message Reminders for the Second Dose of Influenza Vaccine for Children: An RCT.

Among children requiring 2 influenza doses in a given season, second dose receipt nearly halves the odds of influenza. Nationally, many children do not receive both needed doses. This study sought to compare the effectiveness of text message reminders with embedded interactive educational information versus usual care on receipt and timeliness of the second dose of influenza vaccine. This trial took place over the 2017 to 2018 and 2018 to 2019 influenza seasons among 50 pediatric primary care offices across 24 states primarily from the American Academy of Pediatrics' Pediatric Research in Office Settings practice-based research network. Caregiver-child dyads of children 6 months to 8 years in need of a second influenza vaccination that season were individually randomized 1:1 into intervention versus usual care, stratified by age and language within each practice. Intervention caregivers received automated, personalized text messages, including educational information. Second dose receipt by April 30 (season end) and by day 42 (2 weeks after second dose due date) were assessed using Mantel Haenszel methods by practice and language. Analyses were intention to treat. Among 2086 dyads enrolled, most children were 6 to 23 months and half publicly insured. Intervention children were more likely to receive a second dose by season end (83.8% versus 80.9%; adjusted risk difference (ARD) 3.8%; 95% confidence interval [0.1 to 7.5]) and day 42 (62.4% versus 55.7%; ARD 8.3% [3.6 to 13.0]). In this large-scale trial of primary care pediatric practices across the United States, text message reminders were effective in promoting increased and timelier second dose influenza vaccine receipt.

Effect of Text Message Reminders and Vaccine Reservations on Adherence to a Health System COVID-19 Vaccination Policy

Many organizations implemented COVID-19 vaccination requirements during the pandemic, but the best way to increase adherence to these policies is unknown. To evaluate if behavioral nudges delivered through text messages could accelerate adherence to a health system's COVID-19 vaccination policy. This randomized clinical trial was conducted within Ascension health system from October 11 to November 8, 2021. Participants included health system employees in the Midwest or South US who were not adherent with the vaccination policy 1 month before its deadline. Data were analyzed from November 17, 2021, to February 25, 2022. Participants were randomly assigned to control or to receive a text message intervention that stated a vaccine had been reserved for the participant, with a scheduled date for vaccination within a 2-week period. Participants could reschedule to a different date within the period or upload a copy of their vaccination card. Follow-up text message reminders were sent the day before and the day of the appointment. The primary outcome was adherence to the health system's vaccination policy during the 2-week intervention. Secondary outcomes included time to vaccination during a 4-week follow-up period. The sample included 2000 participants (mean [SD] age, 36.4 [12.3] years; 1724 [86.2%] women), with 1000 participants randomized to the control group and 1000 participants randomized to the intervention group. Overall, there were 164 Hispanic participants (8.2%), 46 non-Hispanic Asian participants (2.3%), 202 non-Hispanic Black participants (10.1%), and 1418 non-Hispanic White participants (70.9%). By the end of the 2-week intervention, 363 participants in the text message nudge group (36.3%) and 318 participants in the control group (31.8%) were adherent with the vaccination policy, representing a significant increase of 4.9 (95% CI, 0.8 to 9.1) percentage points in adjusted analyses comparing the nudge group with the control group (P = .02). Among participants who became adherent by the end of the 4-week follow-up period, the text message nudge significantly reduced time to adherence by a mean of 2.4 (95% CI, 2.1 to 4.7) days (P < .001) and a median of 5.0 (95% CI, 2.5 to 7.7) days (P < .001) compared with the control group. At 4 weeks, overall vaccination adherence was no longer different between groups (control: 477 participants [47.7%]; intervention: 472 participants [47.2%]). This randomized clinical trial found that a behavioral nudge delivered through text messages accelerated adherence to a health system's COVID-19 vaccination policy but did change overall adherence by the time of the policy deadline. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05037201.

Effect of Text Message Reminders on Attendance at Cervical Cancer Screening Appointments in a Predominantly Hispanic Population.

Hispanic women have the highest rates of incident cervical cancer in the United States (U.S.) and are 1.9 times more likely to die from cervical cancer than non-Hispanic Whites. Objective: Assess the impact of text message reminders on cervical cancer screening attendance and completion. Design: Pragmatic non-randomized study design using propensity matched analysis. Setting: Community-dwelling low-income females in the U.S./Mexico border community. A total of 2,255 mainly Hispanic females aged 21-65. Methods: Text message reminders in addition to usual care (telephone call reminders). Results: After adjusting for significant factors and propensity score matching, individuals in the text reminder group had 11% lower screening incidence than individuals without text reminders (risk difference [RD] = -0.11, 95% CI: -0.16, -0.05; p < .001). Conclusion: Participants with text reminders were less likely to complete cervical screening than usual practice in a predominantly Hispanic population. Our study demonstrates that reminders' content rather than method may be vital to improving our population's cancer screening rates.

The effect of text message reminders on nausea, vomiting and quality of life in children with cancer receiving cisplatin

PurposeThis study was conducted to examine the effect of text message reminders on nausea, vomiting, and quality of life in children with cancer receiving cisplatin. MethodsThe study was conducted with a pretest-posttest unpaired group model design. The study included 80 children with cancer and their parents (40 controls and 40 experiments) aged between 8 and 18 years, who were on cisplatin treatment, who did not have cognitive disability as a clinical diagnosis, who received chemotherapy during their stay in the clinic, who were literate in Turkish and who volunteered to participate in the study. The educational contents prepared by the researchers to reduce nausea and vomiting were sent to the parents in the experimental group in the form of a text message every day for three weeks. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and regression analysis were used to evaluate the data. ResultsWhile NVTS, ARINVc, ARINVp, Quality of Life Scale pretest and posttest mean scores of both 8–12 and 13–18 age control group children were similar, it was determined that the experimental group's posttest mean scores were higher than the pretest mean scores, and there was a statistically significant difference between the experimental group's pretest and posttest mean scores in terms of the group, time and group*time. In this study, the education program explains 42%, 15%, 16%, 43%, and 43% of the increase in the mean scores of NVTS, ARINVc, ARINVp, Quality of Life Scale Child and Parent Form, respectively, in children aged 8–12. Also, the education program explains 10%, 27%, 28%, 38%, and 39% of the increase in the mean scores of NVTS, ARINVc, ARINVp, Quality of Life Scale Adolescent and Parent Form, respectively, in children aged 13–18. ConclusionsIt has been observed that text message reminders effectively reduce the level of nausea and vomiting and increase the quality of life. Practice implicationsThe results of this study, text message reminders can be applied as an alternative intervention method, and including technology-based practices in the care of children with cancer is important in increasing the quality of care.

Effectiveness of mobile phone text message reminder interventions to improve adherence to antiretroviral therapy among adolescents living with HIV: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Poor adherence to antiretroviral therapy in adolescents living with HIV is a global challenge. One of the key strategies to improve adherence is believed to be the use of digital adherence tools. However, evidence is limited in this area. Our objective was to investigate the effectiveness of mobile phone text message reminders in improving ART adherence for adolescents. The preferred reporting item for systematic review and meta-analysis guideline was followed. A literature search was done in five databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Global Health and Cochrane) in August 2020. Additional searches for studies and grey literature were performed manually. We included studies with quantitative design exploring the effectiveness of text message reminders, targeting adolescents aged 10-19 years. Studies were excluded if the intervention involved phone calls, phone-based applications, or other complex tech services. Mean differences between intervention and standard of care were computed using a random effects model. Subgroup analyses were performed to identify sources of heterogeneity between one-way and two-way text messages. Of 2517 study titles screened, seven eligible studies were included in the systematic review. The total number of participants in the included studies was 987, and the study sample varied from 14 to 332. Five studies showed a positive impact of text messaging in improving adherence, while no significant difference was found between the intervention and the control (standard of care) group in the remaining two studies. The pooled mean difference between the intervention and the control group was 0.05 (95% CI: -0.08 to 0.17). There was considerable heterogeneity among the studies (I2 = 78%). The meta-analysis of text message reminder interventions did not show a statistically significant difference in the improvement of ART adherence among adolescents living with HIV. The included studies were heterogeneous in the reported clinical outcomes, where the effectiveness of the intervention was identified in small studies which had a short follow-up period. Studies with bigger sample size and a longer follow-up period are needed.

The Effectiveness Of Using Text Messages Reminder On Adherence With Tuberculosis Patients: A Systematic Review

Non-adherence is a factor that inhibits the completion of TB cases globally. Some studies suggest that the use of digital technology in the form of text message reminders can reduce the risk of non-adherence. The purpose of writing this article is to analyze the effectiveness of text message reminders on adherence to tuberculosis (TB) patients. The method in preparing this Systematic review is based on literature studies from various electronic databases, including Scopus, ScienceDirect, ProQuest, and Sage by conducting a comprehensive review using the PRISMA guidelines. The keywords used are "Text Messaging" AND "medication adherence" AND "tuberculosis". There are 11 original articles with 9 articles using the Randomized Control Trials (RCTs) research method and 2 articles using the Quasy-experimental method that fits the inclusion criteria. The use of text message reminder interventions is effective and can be used as an optional method of increasing adherence to TB patients.

The effect of text message reminders on medication adherence among patients with coronary heart disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

To determine the effectiveness of text message reminders (TMR) on medication adherence (MA) and to investigate the effects of TMR on clinical outcomes. The PubMed, Cochrane library, EMbase, and China Biology Medicine databases were searched for randomized-controlled trials with TMR as the intervention for patients with coronary heart disease. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed the risk of bias. Meta-analysis was conducted using Stata 15.0 software. In total, 1678 patients in 6 trials were included. Compared with the control group, the MA was 2.85 times greater among the intervention group (RR [relative risk] 2.85; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07-7.58). TMR reduced systolic blood pressure (BP) (weighted mean difference) = -6.51; 95% CI -9.79 to -3.23), cholesterol (standard mean difference = -0.26; 95% CI -0.4 to -0.12) and increased the number of patients with BP <140/90 mm Hg (RR 1.39; 95% CI 1.26-1.54). TMR significantly promoted MA and reduced systolic BP, cholesterol level, and body mass index, but had no effect on mortality, diastolic BP, or lipoproteins. However, substantial heterogeneity existed in our analyses.

Effect of mobile phone text messaging for improving the uptake of influenza vaccination in patients with rare diseases

ObjectivesInfluenza vaccine is recommended in some chronic medical conditions, including several rare diseases. The objectives of the study were to assess the effect of text message reminders on influenza vaccination uptake of patients with selected rare diseases and delayed vaccination, and to describe their characteristics. MethodsQuasi-experimental pre-post intervention study performed along the 2016 influenza vaccination campaign in the Autonomous Community of Madrid. Unvaccinated patients diagnosed with a selected rare disease were targeted for intervention. SMS were sent to them at least one month after the beginning of the campaign, in four consecutive weeks. Those with no mobile phones available or no certainty of message reception, were assigned as controls. The association between the reception of the SMS and vaccination uptake was assessed using multiple poisson regression models. ResultsOf 69.040 patients with delayed vaccination, 87.2% received an SMS reminder in the asigned contact mobile telephone. Global influenza vaccine coverage reached 41.3%. The uptake of influenza vaccine was significantly higher among those receiving the reminder (9.3% vs. 7.1% in the control group, p < 0.001). Those who received a SMS reminder were 30% more likely to uptake seasonal influenza vaccine. By sex and age, the reception of the reminder was associated with a significantly higher probability of vaccination in men ≥65 years with at least a concurrent chronic condition (IRR: 1.58, CI95%: 1.25–2.00). Among women, this higher probability was detected in those between 14 and 64 years of age (IRR: 1.41, CI95%: 1.22–1.63), and ≥65 years without concurrent chronic conditions (IRR: 1.40, CI95%: 1.05–1.89). ConclusionAlthough the intervention was modestly effective, it proved beneficial in some cases. It can be an additional strategy to improve vaccine uptake, since it is simple, feasible, affordable and easily scalable, particularly when immunization and target population data are available in population registries.

Effect of mobile text message reminders on routine childhood vaccination: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundThe World Health Organization estimates that 29% of under-five mortality could be prevented with existing vaccines. However, non-consistent attendance for immunization appointments remains a global challenge to healthcare providers. Thus, innovative strategies are required to reach the last mile where technology could be effectively utilized to achieve better compliance with children immunization schedules. Therefore, the aim of the review was to systematically collect and summarize the available evidence on the effectiveness of text message reminders on childhood vaccination.MethodsThis review was conducted according to a priori published protocol on PROSPERO. A systematic literature search of databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane/Wiley library, and Science direct) was conducted. Eligibility and risk of bias assessments were performed independently by two reviewers. PRISMA flow diagrams were used to summarize the study selection process. Taking into account the level of heterogeneity, a random effects model was used and risk ratios with their 95% CI were used to present the pooled estimates. To investigate the sources of heterogeneity, subgroup analysis and meta-regression analysis were also considered. In this review, publication bias was assessed statistically using Harbord test.ResultsA total of 1771 articles were searched. Out of those 1771 articles, 558 duplicated articles were removed. About 1213 articles were further screened, and finally, ten articles met the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis showed that there is a significant effect of text message reminders on childhood vaccination coverage (RR = 1.11; 95% CI 1.05–1.17) with a moderate level of heterogeneity (I2 = 64.3%, P = 0.003). The results from the Harbord test suggested that there is no evidence for publication bias (P = 0.340).ConclusionThis review highlights the potential benefits of incorporating mobile text message reminders into the standard management of childhood immunizations, especially in low- and middle-income countries. The frequency and timing of the text message reminders are also crucial in determining the effectiveness of text message reminders. Hence, mHealth interventions deserve more attention as a potential innovation to improve healthcare programs.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO CRD42017074230

The Effect of Text Message Reminders to Health Workers on Quality of Care for Malaria, Pneumonia, and Diarrhea in Malawi: A Cluster-Randomized, Controlled Trial.

The use of mobile technologies in medicine, or mHealth, holds promise to improve health worker (HW) performance, but evidence is mixed. We conducted a cluster-randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effect of text message reminders to HWs in outpatient health facilities (HFs) on quality of care for malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhea in Malawi. After a baseline HF survey (2,360 patients) in January 2015, 105 HFs were randomized to three arms: 1) text messages to HWs on malaria case management; 2) text messages to HWs on malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhea case management (latter two for children < 5 years); and 3) control arm (no messages). Messages were sent beginning April 2015 twice daily for 6 months, followed by an endline HF survey (2,536 patients) in November 2015. An intention-to-treat analysis with difference-in-differences binomial regression modeling was performed. The proportion of patients with uncomplicated malaria managed correctly increased from 42.8% to 59.6% in the control arm, from 43.7% to 55.8% in arm 1 (effect size -4.7%-points, 95% confidence interval (CI): -18.2, 8.9, P = 0.50) and from 30.2% to 50.9% in arm 2 (effect size 3.9%-points, 95% CI: -14.1, 22.0, P = 0.67). Prescription of first-line antibiotics to children < 5 years with clinically defined pneumonia increased in all arms, but decreased in arm 2 (effect size -4.1%-points, 95% CI: -42.0, 33.8, P = 0.83). Prescription of oral rehydration solution to children with diarrhea declined slightly in all arms. We found no significant improvements in malaria, pneumonia, or diarrhea treatment after HW reminders, illustrating the importance of rigorously testing new interventions before adoption.

A Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Text Message Reminders on Asthma Medication Adherence.

Cell phone text messaging reminders offers the promise of an efficient technology for the management of chronic diseases, such as asthma. This review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of text message reminders in improving medication adherence for asthma compared to usual care. Randomized controlled trials assessing the effect of text message reminders on adherence to asthma medication were identified from PubMed, Medline, Web of Knowledge EBSCOhost, OvidSP, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Cochran Health Technology Assessment databases. Literature searches were restricted to the English language, and no restrictions were imposed on the year and country of publication. Five studies that were deemed relevant to the systematic review were identified from the literature search. Findings on whether text message reminders improve medication adherence were mixed. However, the review indicates that text-messaging interventions were effective as a means of addressing forgetfulness by reminding patients to take their medications. This review adds to the body of literature reviewing the effectiveness of emerging technologies in the management of diseases. Despite the fact there is limited evidence across the population of studies to support the effectiveness of text message reminders, such technology represents an important tool to achieve optimal medication adherence among asthmatics.

Meta-analysis on the effect of text message reminders for HIV-related compliance

ABSTRACTFor the treatment of HIV, compliance in regard to appointment attendance and medication usage is critical. Various methods have been attempted to increased HIV care compliance, and a method that has inspired many published studies is text message reminders. We conducted a meta-analysis of the literature from inception through May 2016 using the following databases: Pubmed, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Cochrane. Examples of terms used in the search included exploded versions of “HIV, “AIDS”, “cell phone”, “SMS”, “text message”, “reminder”. After abstract and manuscript review, articles were discussed with co-author and included based on consensus. We excluded qualitative analyses, observational studies without an intervention, and studies without a control or pre-intervention group. We used random-effects models to calculate odds ratios (OR) and standardized mean differences (SMDs) for the text message intervention. Thirty-four unique studies were found and included in the meta-analysis. For the seven articles relating to non-attendance, text message reminders significantly reduced the rates of non-attendance (OR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.48–0.92; P = .01; I2 = 52%). For the 20 articles on drug adherence, text message reminders significantly increased adherence (SMD, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.06–1.68; P = .04; I2 = 99%). For the 11 articles with physiologic measures (CD4 count or viral load), text message reminders led to significant improvement (SMD, 1.53; 95% CI, 0.52–2.55; P = .003; I2 = 99%). This meta-analysis reveals that text message reminders are a promising intervention that can be used to increase HIV care compliance when logistically feasible. Further study should focus on which populations benefit the most from this intervention, and successful implementers could create an established technological infrastructure for other clinics to adopt when seeking to boost compliance.

The Mobile Solutions for Immunization (M-SIMU) Trial: A Protocol for a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial That Assesses the Impact of Mobile Phone Delivered Reminders and Travel Subsidies to Improve Childhood Immunization Coverage Rates and Timeliness in Western Kenya.

BackgroundText message (short message service, SMS) reminders and incentives are two demand-side interventions that have been shown to improve health care–seeking behaviors by targeting participant characteristics such as forgetfulness, lack of knowledge, and transport costs. Applying these interventions to routine pediatric immunizations may improve vaccination coverage and timeliness.ObjectiveThe Mobile Solutions for Immunization (M-SIMU) trial aims to determine if text message reminders, either with or without mobile phone–based incentives, sent to infant’s parents can improve immunization coverage and timeliness of routine pediatric vaccines in rural western Kenya.MethodsThis is a four-arm, cluster, randomized controlled trial. Villages are randomized to one of four study arms prior to enrollment of participants. The study arms are: (1) no intervention (a general health-related text message will be texted to this group at the time of enrollment), (2) text message reminders only, (3) text message reminders and a 75 Kenyan Shilling (KES) incentive, or (4) text message reminders and a KES200 incentive. Participants assigned to study arms 2-4 will receive two text message reminders; sent 3 days before and one day before the scheduled immunization visit at 6, 10, and 14 weeks for polio and pentavalent (containing diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, and Haemophilus influenza type b antigens) type b antigens) vaccines, and at 9 months for measles vaccine. Participants in incentive arms will, in addition to text message reminders as above, receive mobile phone–based incentives after each timely vaccination, where timely is defined as vaccination within 2 weeks of the scheduled date for each of the four routine expanded program immunization (EPI) vaccination visits. Mother-infant pairs will be followed to 12 months of age where the primary outcome, a fully immunized child, will be ascertained. A fully immunized child is defined as a child receiving vaccines for bacille Calmette-Guerin, three doses of pentavalent and polio, and measles by 12 months of age. General estimating equation (GEE) models that account for clustering will be employed for primary outcome analyses.ResultsEnrollment was completed in October 2014. Twelve month follow-up visits to ascertain immunization status from the maternal and child health booklet were completed in February 2016.ConclusionsThis is one of the first studies to examine the effect of text message reminders on immunization coverage and timeliness in a lower income country and is the first study to assess the effect of mobile money-based incentives to improve immunization coverage.Trial RegistrationClinicaltrials.gov NCT01878435; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01878435 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6hQlwGYJR)

Improving Adolescent Pelvic Inflammatory Disease Follow-up From the Emergency Department: Randomized Controlled Trial With Text Messages

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines recommend follow-up within 72 hours of diagnosis of pelvic inflammatory disease because patients with inadequate treatment are at increased risk of acute and chronic complications. Follow-up rates in adolescents after diagnosis range between 10% and 16%. The primary objective is to assess the effect of text message reminders to adolescent patients receiving a diagnosis of pelvic inflammatory disease on obtaining follow-up care within 72 hours of emergency department (ED) discharge. This was a single-blinded randomized controlled trial of adolescents receiving a diagnosis of pelvic inflammatory disease in the ED. Patients received standard discharge instructions or standard discharge instructions plus text message reminders. Patients in the text message group received daily, tailored text messages for 4 days, with a reminder to schedule and attend primary care provider follow-up. The primary outcome was follow-up within 72 hours of ED discharge. Ninety-five patients (48 standard; 47 text message) were randomized. Three patients were excluded, leaving 92 patients (46 standard; 46 text message) for analysis. Baseline characteristics were similar between treatment groups. Follow-up was 15.2% in the standard group and 43.5% in the text message group. Patients receiving text message reminders were more likely to follow up compared with the standard group (relative risk 2.9; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4 to 5.7). The absolute efficacy difference was 28.3% (95% CI 9.5% to 46.9%), yielding number needed to treat of 4 (95% CI 2.2 to 9.5). Personalized text message reminders were efficacious in improving follow-up for adolescents after ED diagnosis of pelvic inflammatory disease.

Text message reminders for second dose of influenza vaccine: a randomized controlled trial.

To determine whether provision of vaccine-health-literacy-promoting information in text message vaccine reminders improves receipt and timeliness of the second dose of influenza vaccine within a season for children in need of 2 doses. During the 2012-2013 season, families of eligible 6-month through 8-year-old children were recruited at the time of their first influenza vaccination from 3 community clinics in New York City. Children (n = 660) were randomly assigned to "educational" text message, "conventional" text message, and "written reminder-only" arms. At enrollment, all arms received a written reminder with next dose due date. Conventional messages included second dose due date and clinic walk-in hours. Educational messages added information regarding the need for a timely second dose. Receipt of second dose by April 30 was assessed by using χ(2) tests. Timeliness was assessed by receipt of second dose by 2 weeks after due date (day 42) using χ(2) and over time using a Kaplan-Meier analysis. Most families were Latino and publicly insured with no significant between-arm differences between groups. Children in the educational arm were more likely to receive a second dose by April 30 (72.7%) versus conventional (66.7%) versus written reminder-only arm (57.1%; P = .003). They also had more timely receipt by day 42 (P < .001) and over time (P < .001). In this low-income, urban, minority population, embedding health literacy information improved the effectiveness of text message reminders in promoting timely delivery of a second dose of influenza vaccine, compared with conventional text messages and written reminder only.

Solving the problem of non-attendance in substance abuse services.

Rates of non-attendance are among the highest in substance misuse services. Non-attendance is costly and results in the inefficient use of limited resources. Patients who frequently miss their appointments have worse outcomes including treatment dropout and decreased likelihood of achieving long-term abstinence. This narrative review evaluates interventions targeting non-attendance in addiction services and draws upon the wider health-care literature to identify interventions that could be adapted for substance-abusing populations. Both fixed value and intermittent reinforcement contingency management demonstrate potential for improving attendance. However, small sample sizes and heterogeneous populations make it difficult to draw firm conclusions. Appointment reminders by letter or telephone have demonstrated moderate evidence for improving attendance in substance-abusing populations. Text message appointment reminders are extensively utilised in general health-care settings and consistently improve attendance; however, there is a paucity of research examining the feasibility and effectiveness of text message reminders in addiction services. A lack of evidence for methods to improve attendance is reflected in the continuing challenge faced by addiction services attempting to manage high rates of non-attendance. Non-attendance remains a persistent issue for addiction services. While there is limited evidence that contingency management improves attendance, more rigorous research is needed to determine the optimal intervention components and effectiveness in different populations, particularly those receiving maintenance treatments. Multicomponent text message interventions incorporating different delivery and content strategies demonstrate a promise for improving non-attendance and poor engagement.

Effectiveness of text message reminders on nonattendance of outpatient clinic appointments in three different specialties: A randomized controlled trial in a Saudi Hospital

Abstract Objectives Nonattendance at outpatient appointment is a major problem particularly in public hospitals that leads to long waiting time and inefficient use of hospital recourses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of sending short message service (SMS) reminders to the mobile phones of patients scheduled for an outpatient appointment on nonattendance rate. Methods A randomized controlled trial was conducted at three outpatient clinics (General Medicine (GM), Neurology (Neuro), Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN). Eligible patients were randomly allocated to either receive SMS reminder message of their outpatient appointment (intervention group) or receive no reminder (control group). The electronic database of the hospital was used to collect patient appointment information, mobile phone number, type of clinic and other patient characteristics. The primary outcome measure was nonattendance rate. Chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression were used to compare nonattendance rate between the two groups. Results A total of 1499 patients were entered in the two arms of the study between April 2011 and June 2011. These were divided as follows (GM = 502, Neuro = 297, and OB/GYN = 700). The nonattendance rate was significantly lower in the reminder groups compared to the non-reminder groups in the GM and Neuro clinics (26.3% vs. 39.8% and 29.3% vs. 43.9%, respectively P ⩽ 0.02). There was no significant difference in the nonattendance between the reminder and non-reminder groups in OB/GYN clinic (26.6% vs. 27.9%, P = 0.36). Conclusion SMS text message reminders are effective in reducing the nonattendance rate in outpatient clinics though may not be as effective in all specialities.